Only a child
by weep for the empty
Summary: A child can only do so much by themselves. After a horrible turn of event's, five year old Morty must cope with only neglectful parents at his aid. After years of his condition worsening, when rick comes into the picture will it be for better or worse? Will Morty ever fully recover?
1. Chapter 1

" **Dead people receive more flowers than the living ones because the regret is stronger than the gratitude"**

 **\- Anne Frank**

* * *

" Honey can you watch Morty today? I'm taking summer out, we're going out to have some mother daughter time." Beth said grinning down at her daughter.

" Sorry Beth i have an interview, and trust me it's gonna be huge! I have a feeling about this one!" Summer and Beth groaned. " you _always_ have a feeling about them" Beth grouchily mumbled.

"Did you say something? I didn't hear you" Jerry said, walking downstairs fixing his tie. "Wha- oh, no Jerry you must have heard wrong" Summer giggled along side her smiling mother.

"Hmmm, ok…" Jerry eyed them suspiciously, before walking over to eight year old summer. Lifting the little girl up by her arm pits he put her on his shoulders, Summer squealed and laughed. Jerry started to run around the room making airplane noises. Eventually he got tired and put the dizzy little girl back to where she had originally been standing, she almost toppled over but managed to grab her mother's leg and steady herself. Jerry grabbed his head trying to get his world to stop spinning. A moment of elapsed silence settled in the air before they all erupted into giggling fits.

Jerry went over to his wife and kissed her gently, after a moment they pulled away, with loving and content smiles on there face. Eight year old summer covered her eyes and giggling she said " Ewww mommy daddy i'm still here!" her parents smiled fondly down at their child.

"How about we leave Morty with a babysitter?'' Jerry suggested.

An uncertain frown made it's way onto Beth's face. "I don't know Jerry.."

"Come on, it's not that big of a deal. It's only a couple of hours. What could possibly go wrong? I can't deal with such a nuisance while at an interview. They'd kick me out before my turn came! " Beth's frown grew, she opened her mouth as if to tell him off for calling there son a nuisance, but nothing came out. With a solemn sigh she surrendered "Alright I guess we can give it a try.."

"Great! I'll call them, you two can go have fun. I still have an hour until my interview begins so I can arrange it no problem!" Both his wife and daughter gave him a peck on the cheek before rushing out the door.

With a satisfied nod he walked over to the computer in his office and searched for any cheap daycare's. Then the word 'free' caught his eye. He scrolled down and clicked the link.

It brought him to another page, where there was a picture of a pair of husband and wife, around their twenties...thirties max. It read: "We lost our young daughter and son in a car accident. It was really hard for us to move on.. When we did, we tried to have a baby. we tried for weeks and then went to the doctor. he said..i couldn't...that I couldn't have a baby. we didn't have enough money to adopt so we opened up a daycare that can help adults like us who can't afford much. this daycare runs on only donations, we love kids, and we'd-" Jerry took a quick glance at his watch. if he didn't hurry he'd be late. So scrolling down to skip the boring life story seemed like the best option. Looking at the address, Jerry's eyebrows rose 'it's close'.

Deciding it wasn't suspicious at all he wrote down the address and stuffed it into his pocket. "Morty get down here we're going out!"

A few moments passed, before jerry heard little pattering of feet hitting the carpet floor. "C-comeing!"by the time little morty made it down stairs jerry was tapping his foot on the ground impatiently. "What the hell took you so long" jerry said, venom dripping in his tone. "S-s-sorry, i-i cou-ld-n't find my shoes." little morty tried his best to sound out each syllable, having just learned how to speak not too long ago. His vocabulary was very impressive for a boy his age.

Jerry sneered and turned away grabbing his keys. And walking towards the door. He stopped for a moment to look behind him. He saw his youngest child pattleing along behind him. He looked at his watch and his eyes widened "shit" he whispered angrily. He was about to be late.

He walked back over to his son and roughly pulled on the boys small wrist. The boy let out a yelp but other then that stayed silent as his father basically dragged him to the car and stuffed him into the passenger seat. Morty looked down at his wrist to see it slightly red by the rough handling. He watched as his father walked around the car to the driver's door and got in. he started the car and they drove off. He didn't even have a seatbelt on. His father ignored him the entire way to wherever they were going.

Just another day for Mortimer Smith.

He wasn't sure what the constant pain in his chest was. Being too small to know what it was to have neglect-ant parents. Papa didn't like when he spoke, he said he sounded stupid because of his nonstop stutter. His mother didn't hug him or cradle him when he had a nightmare like summer, she'd simply act as if he wasn't there. His big sister...for some strange reason was jealous of him, he couldn't fathom why she would possibly be jealous of him of all people. But she was. He didn't get the privilege of calling his parents mother or father. If he ever did that, or even slipped he'd immediately get punished.

He had no friends. no one to talk or laugh with. So he began to become an introvert. He never went outside. The neighborhood kids were jerks and said things that made him feel unwanted. But then again his family did the same things.

Lost in thought morty hadn't even realized they had arrived at there destination. It wasn't until his father purposely yelled in his ear causing him to flinch did he snap out of his pondering.

He stepped out of the car, looking around he saw a great big white house in front of him. His father pushed him towards the front gate and left, not even bothering to see if it was safe. Though he didn't take it personally, besides this would be fun!

Little did he know, this place would soon become his personal hell.


	2. Chapter 2

" **Permanent remorse about failing to do your human duty, in my opinion, can be worse than losing your life."**

 **\- Miep Gies**

* * *

As Morty approached the gate he noticed something strange. Camera's were lined across the walls, and not just a few, there were more than he could count. Either the people who lived here were incredibly paranoid or the president had moved in.

Morty wasn't completely sure why his father left him here, was he getting rid of him? He wasn't sure, he had forgotten to grab his toy rabbit to comfort his frantic nerves. Not to mention he was freezing, he only had on some grey shorts which barely reached his knee, a yellow t-shirt with a white tank top underneath and black sneakers. He didn't know his father was going to take him outside and leave him in the middle of nowhere.

Not to say it hasn't happened before.

Last time though, it had been his mother, she was...she had been..especially drunk that day. He had been sleeping when in the middle of the night she came in and literally dragged him out of the house and into the car. Summer had been having a sleepover at her friend's house that night, 'mother always made sure to have summer out of the house any time she or jerry planned to get drunk or have a grown up party.' She never made morty leave.

Morty remembered vividly how one time, while his parents had been having a grown up party a strange man stumbled into his room. Obviously drunk. Morty was still half asleep when the man creeped into his bed.

He suddenly felt the urge to puke.

A loud beep caught his attention, thankful for the distraction he looked over toward the beeping sound. He saw a white intercom. At least that's what he thought it was. It looked super high tech though, so he wasn't sure.

He jumped when he heard a voice coming from it. Not because he didn't expect it, but because the voice that came from it was incredibly deep and seemed to belong to an older man. " little boy, are you lost? Come in, i'll help you find you family." the voice brought chills up his spine. It seemed foreign but not unfamiliar. No way was he going to take one step into _that_ house.

Morty seemed to curl into himself little by little. Eventually he quietly mumbled " n-no thank y-you, i-i'm okay." into the transmitter. if morty had learned one thing in his life, it was not to anger people.

This time the sweet voice only a mother was capable of, came from the communicator. " little boy? it's all right. You can trust us. We won't do anything. What's your name?"

Morty couldn't help but answer the question. Having never been addressed so sweetly by anyone or shown anything remote to love before, he was stunned.

"M-my name's m-morty" his voice was soft and high pitch, so it made him seem even more adorable.

"Well cutie, why don't you come in so we can talk face to face hmmm? I just made some cookies, it'll warm you right up!"

Morty contemplated whether he should trust these people or not. They seemed nice. They spoke to him as if he were a person. They didn't come out here and get him, but instead let him come of his own free will. And they showed genuine concern. 'Not forgetting they have cookies of course!'

He found himself hoping his family wouldn't come back to get him.

He walked to the tall white gate and with all his might he pushed open. It only opened a crack but it was enough for his small body to slip through. Once inside he saw a pretty gardian. There were all sorts of flowers he'd never seen before.

He did recognize one flower. The lotus flower. His mother's favorite. He'd always leave the house the day before her birthday to pick the flowers and leave them on her window sill. He'd always spend all night picking them, and someone else in the family always took credit for his work. But it was always worth it, to see his mother smile. He liked to see her happy. Busy thinking, he almost stepped off the foot pavement."woAH!" he fell on his butt.

Tears gathered at the side of his eyes "Owie~" he complained in a whiny tone. Frowning he sat there a moment remembering all the times he had seen an adult run to help there child right about this point. Then a brush of cold air caressed his skin and he was up again walking a bit faster than before, towards the front door. all thoughts forgotten...for now.

With the back of his petite hand he knocked as hard as he could. Unfortunately the knock wasn't very loud and his knuckles were sore and red. "Stupid metal door" he mumbled

Since there were cameras everywhere the couple knew to open the door. And true to her words, she held a tray of freshly baked cookies, mittens and all.

She wore a white apron, over her cloths. She had shiny blond silky hair that went just about past her shoulders. Her eyes were azure, her lips were rosy pink and adorned a perfect smile. Her skin was slightly tanned and her freckles were by far her most distinct facial feature.

Then she stepped aside, and a man stepped into view. This guy was the complete opposite of the lady. Though he guessed this was the person who first spoke through the intercom. He didn't seem nice at all. He was horrifying. His skin was dark. He was bulky. Like _super_ bulky.

'is he taking.. ummm..asteroids?' morty wasn't too sure if they were called that, though he didn't care for it enough to give it extra thought.

The man's eyes were coffee brown, he wore a white t-shirt and grey sweatpants, and he had no facial hair. If the man's appearance wasn't enough to scare a four year old out of their wits then the man's eyes had it covered. As the man looked down at him as if sizing him up, morty seized up in fear. The things he saw in those eyes said it all. They looked at him as if he were an object. Not human.

The woman's posture had changed as well, her face held a tight smirk, her eyes were even more horrifying than the mans. They were icy and emotionless. The tray of cookies she held were shaking, most likely of anticipation.

Morty let out a tiny gasp. He turned away from the adults as fast as he could. But the man grabbed his wrist before he could take that one fatal step forward. He was yanked backwards into the house by the bulky man. The door slowly closed.

He hadn't even gotten the chance to scream.


	3. Chapter 3

" _ **Let's raise children who don't have to recover from their childhood."**_

 _ **-Pam Leo**_

* * *

Morty had the wind knocked out of him as he was thrown to the ground. He heard the front door

to the couple's house slam shut with a click. He looked up at the couple with confusion and back at the door with panic. With dread he began to realize that these were not the same people who he had talked to over the transponder. " ummmm, on second thought...i'll j-just leave..i want to go home, s-sorry."

The couple turned away from the closed door with predatory smiles. " But little boy. We haven't even showed you around yet." The woman said. " no-no i'm o-okay really. I can just wait outside." The woman faked a concerned expression " but sweetie, you might get a cold." engrossed in keeping his eyes on the woman in front of him he didn't notice when the man slipped out of the room. when he _did_ notice was when he came back with a thick rope. Mortys eyes widened " what-what are you going to to w-w-with that?" the man ignored him and walked up to him.

Morty stood up and ran. Ran as fast as his small legs could carry him.. He heard a yell from behind and heavy footsteps but he just kept running. Deeper into the maze like halls. Once the man was close enough, he lifted Morty up by the hem of his shirt " NO! Please no i-i won't say anything promise! Just let me go please!"

The thick rope was tightly wrapped around his wrist, he tried to kick his captor but it only served to anger him. Once the man finished tying the last knot he pulled a gag out of his pocket and stuffed it into Morty's mouth. At this point Morty was visibly shaking. He was afraid. Scared. Petrified of what these people had in store for him. He just wanted to go home. Be Safe.

The man stepped back a moment to observe his work. His eyes looked at Morty with distaste. Morty looked desperately at the man. Eyes begging to be let go. The man didn't so much as twitch and Morty knew he wasn't going to leave this house. He tried to hold back the tears. To be strong. But he couldn't help the feeling of despair that clutched at his heart as he was hauled over the man's shoulder and carried up the spiral stairs and disposed of in a dark room. The man left him there alone and the woman seemed to have disappeared. With his knees and bound arms he crawled over to a corner of the room and put his head in his knees and quietly sobbed.

* * *

Jerry followed his gps idly listening to the radio, tapping his figures on the driving wheel in sink to the rhythm of the music. The interview had gone excellent! They had even told him they would stay in contact. Jerry couldn't wait to tell beth, the gps beeped informing him he'd arrived, he got out of the car...only to see a different house. " what the..? " His eyebrows furrowed, he took out the slip of paper he had written the address on and inspected the one he had put into the gps. With a jolt he realized that he must have put in the wrong address and left his idiotic son at a different house. " Shit! Beth is going to kill me! " he got in his car and slammed the door shut.

After ten minutes of fruitless driving he rounded a corner and he spotted the familiar white house. " Thank god!" with a sigh of relief he put his car in park and locked it. Looking around he didn't see Morty anywhere. With an aggravated sigh he trotted up to the white house to see if they had seen his son. He tried opening the gate but it was auto-generated, which meant they must control what comes in and out from the inside. With another sigh he looked around until he spotted an intercom. " Finally " rolling his eyes and walked up to it clicking the red button "Hello?"

After a solid minute he got an answer " yes?" a sweet voice tentatively answered. " ummm, sorry to disturb you..but have you seen a little boy with chestnut curls, about up to my knees, brown eyes, have you seen him?" Jerry asked in a lazy tone.

"No." the lady answered that sweet voice of her's she continued " but i think i saw him go inside the house next door, i thought maybe that was his father." her voice transformed into concern. "Shit! Are you fucking kidding me!? I swear i can't leave that kid alone for a second!" without even saying thank you jerry turned away from the intercom and made his way to the house next door, fully intent on getting his son back and punching the kids lights out for being stupid. He banged on the door and when it opened a man a whole six inches taller than Jerry opened the door. All courage he once had completely left him. He cowered away back to his car and the man gave him an irritated look with a hint of disgust mixed in as he slammed his front door closed.

Jerry gulped. He took out his phone and dialed beth's number. " Hey...sweet heart?"

"What's wong jerry?" Beth's voice sounded distracted.

"Our son ran away." _I lost our son._

* * *

 _Ta da! Yay! New chapter! And guess who's B day it is? Thats right mine! Yes i know all of you are silently wishing me a happy birthday, even if you're like a year or two late...but if you're not...i silence you to a life without fanfiction! MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA._

 _I'm just kidding guys, don't worry. Sorry for taking so long to update...writers block is a bitch. and yeah...sorry about it being short..i just needed it to end right there for the next chapter to work out.._

 _Don't forget to leave a review on your way out! :3_


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